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(This article was written by Gladys, our intern at Kingmaker! Her StrengthsFinder® talent themes makes her a Hands-on, People-Centric Bicultural Practitioner who values challenges and provocative thinking. She is passionate about learning the diversity of cultures.)

Everyone wonders, are there certain talent themes that make-up a good student? If there are, what are they?

For those strong in the Gallup StrengthsFinder Language (if you are new to this, fret not! We got you covered: click HERE to read thoroughly the descriptions of all 34 StrengthsFinder Talent Themes), you might know that modern day education might favor some talent themes over the others. For example, based on a first look, you would probably think that a student with Achiever | Focus | Competition | Input | Strategictalent themes would perform much better academically than a student with Relator | Woo | Positivity | Activator | Harmony, wouldn’t you? Well, at least I would.

Here, I’m going to share about my own experience, as a student, and how my supposed “straight-A-student talent themes” helped me in my school life.

For those of you who are really “busy” and therefore unable to analyse/read through one by one, here’s a quick breakdown for you!

StrengthsFinder Themes & Campus Excellence

First, I have what many people would think of as the typical research cluster in my top 5, (Learner, Intellection, and Input). This means that I’m good at internalizing and digesting content-heavy subjects, such as General Paper, History, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics etc. (basically almost all the academic subjects.)

Secondly, I am talented in Achiever, Responsibility, Connectedness and Arranger, which means that I’m not only a fast, reliable and efficient worker; I can manage many things, complete a lot in one day, and just more productive in general.

Looking at my talent themes, I’m a smart student. OR AM I REALLY?

Here’s the answer – Not really. Add many big red crosses to that as well.

“But why is it so? Don’t you have many talent themes that help you study effectively?”

Look, the reality is that it plays out differently in everyone’s life, and my priorities towards campus excellence is more than just academic.

As an Achiever and a Learner, I was constantly involved in a variety of commitments. In just my college years alone, I had 3 Co-Curricular Activities: International Strategic Affairs Council, touch rugby, and Mass Communications Society. Additional to that, I also participated in many competitions, including Chinese Debate (I am bicultural!) Video Competitions, Economic Innovation Competitions, Youth-For-Causes and had piano lessons too. Oh yeah, I am also actively involved in church activities too. Additionally, I even tried to run for my CCA’s president role despite my many commitments. Basically, I wanted to be as engaged in my campus life as possible – trying to learn many things and trying to keep myself busy.

Certainly, many of my teachers were concerned with my grades and many told me to cut down on my commitments, but I felt that I was able to manage them, and with good reason. My Arranger talent theme meant that juggling several things at the same time was natural to me, I was handling things well and my life wasn’t falling apart. I was passing most of my subjects, and I was able to produce quality contributions to all of my commitments.

Eventually though, I did manage to settle down and study nearing A levels. Still, studying was not as effective as I wanted it to be. Why?

“How does this relate to other insights that I’ve gained in this subject?”

BAM! Welcome to the intellection zone. It didn’t matter even if you adjust your environment, or change the subject you were studying, because you were pulled away by your own deep thoughts.

The StrengthsFinder Formula to Campus Success

Basically, I’m saying that having a certain combination of StrengthsFinder Talent Themes does not determine your destiny in academic excellence, it is how you actively invest and utilize your strengths that makes you a better student.

As this is the month of examinations, for all you students, don’t get discouraged or disheartened, thinking that without certain talent themes, you can’t get your As or be effective in school. Similarly, for the students who have talent themes that might effectively aid your studying process , don’t be complacent (WORKING HARD STILL PAYS OFF). Study smarter and harder!

Parents, if you’re reading this, just know that there is no one formula for straight As. Be involved in your child’s academic journey, and encourage them to constantly invest in their what they are naturally good at!

I always had camps as a student, be it Secondary School adventure camps or Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) ones. However, I never did think about what goes behind the planning and execution of such activities, much less be part of a team which specialises in creating such a great learning experience for the students.

Planning a Strengths-based Camp

In our company, the quality of our products is our priority. We constantly seek to update our curriculum and improve the design of our experiential games to ensure that our students take away insights from our programmes, and take active steps to achieve their goals. I was involved in the constant refinement of content:

Is this content worth learning and meets the learning objectives of the programme?

Are there engaging ways (ie. Games) for the students to learn and for us to get our point across?

Most important of all, will the students have learn and fun?

These are the questions which we constantly ask ourselves throughout the course of our planning process.

Preparing a Strengths-based Camp

I always took the collaterals I received during my camps for granted. From the worksheets to the game logistics, we had to prepare them by hand and make sure all students got what they needed during the camp. From the filing to the stapling, folding and packing, all these were done by a small yet dynamic team which sped up this preparation process tremendously. To make things more complicated, every set of collaterals received by the students are customised specific to their signature talent themes.

That being said, it was extremely rewarding to see how the students on the receiving end found these resources useful for their learning.

Executing a Strengths-based Camp

During the camp, I was involved as an operation consultant to ensure the smooth flow of the station movement. From ensuring the timing of the camp was on track to the logistic preparation that was needed for each segment of the day, I had to ensure that all procedures were adhered to. A seemingly simple activity required tons of preparation work and checks to ensure everything was all set and ready for the students.

Besides lending a hand in the background operational work, I had the opportunity to coach students who are not so much younger than I am, on making post-secondary choices using their strengths. Initially, I got really worried when this task was being assigned to me. Nevertheless, I seized this opportunity to recall my past experiences as a coachee, in allowing the students to gain clarity regarding the choices they make in the future.

The coaching sessions were more difficult than I thought they would be. The beautiful thing about coaching is that the students learn from you, but you get to learn even more, from both the students and this whole experience. Some of the students I coached were more certain of what they wanted compared to others, but what they had in common was the desire to make use of this coaching session to gain insight regarding their choices.

Throughout the coaching experience, the sense of fulfilment comes from the spark of revelation the students experienced, and the fact that the students start to open up and get really comfortable with you.

Coaching aside, being part of the mass games as game facilitators was an integral part of my experience at Bartley Camp. It seems like the “people in orange” work in isolation, but the truth behind it is that it takes a whole lot of effort to ensure that everyone in the team is clear of what is expected for the execution to be flawless. Looking at how actively the students participated in the games made me really proud of being part of something so much greater than myself.

In conclusion…

All in all, my experience in Bartley Camp was one that was filled with self-discovery – for myself and that of others. As exhausting as this experience can get for the team, I am more than grateful to have had colleagues who supported me, taught me and led me on this learning journey.

I shall attempt to showcase the ‘greater uniqueness’ of individuals through the Power of Clustering; when 3 talent themes blend naturally with one another. 3 of my Dominant themes (in my Top 10) are Self-Assurance, Significance & Communication.

People with strong Self-Assurance talents can lead the way. Because they deeply trust their own instincts, they can forge ahead confidently, even on risky paths. They can instill confidence in others and show initiative in the midst of turbulence and uncertainty.

People with strong Significance talents want to be very important in others’ eyes. They seems to be willing to die for a cause in order to impact communities, transform culture or leaving behind a legacy.

People with strong Communication talents bring attention and focus to important messages. They can find words for not only their own thoughts and feelings, but for those of others. This gives them the ability to reach out and connect with others in meaningful ways.

As a child: When I was 11 years old, I was pretty upset that my Maths teacher was so poor in her teaching. I thought: “If I were to stand up to teach now, I will do a much better job and the whole class will surely understand my lesson.” My Self-Assurance talent was beaming with confidence and my Significance talent wanted to gain admiration for my ability to impact the whole class. From then on, I taught many of my classmates Maths using Communication talent and I also frequently declared to others that “one day, I will be a great Maths teacher”. I was eventually awarded a scholarship to study and teach Maths.

As a teenager: When I was 16 years old, most people were intensely preparing for their ‘O’ Level examination. I thought: “Before I graduate from my secondary school, I will plan and run a cohort camp with a few of my classmates.” My Self-Assurance talent is not affected by the fear of not having enough time to prepare for exam and my Significance talent wanted to leave a legacy of a student-initiated large scale event. I then use my Communication talent to convince a group of classmates to join me.

As a new teacher: When I was 25 years old, I was tasked by my Maths HOD to run the yearly Maths-competition for the students. I thought: “Why are we doing the traditional way of Quiz & Buzzer?” My Significance talent wanted to pioneer the first ever Experiential Maths Competition in the school field that integrated Maths problem solving and Tele-match with props. My Self-Assurance talent instills confidence in others in the midst of their uncertainty of success. I then used my Communication talent to convince my HOD for approval and briefed all the teachers on the execution plan.

As an entrepreneur: When I was 41 years old, I was asking myself regarding the purpose of my next lap. I concluded that I need to speak to the multitudes in the school hall in order to shape the values of the 21st century learners. My Significance talent has created a high calling. For the following 4 years, I indeed spoke to the tens of thousands students with conceptual clarity & social connectivity using my Communication talent. My Self-Assurance talent frequently ‘shocked’ the teachers with my high level of confidence when addressing the whole school that was new to me.

Conclusion:

A cord of 3 talent themes can create amazing things; excellent performance and a sense of purposefulness to boost self-esteem. Can you find your cord and how your 3 talent themes manifest together to strengthen one another?

This article seeks to bring clarity to resolve internal conflict when a person has talent themes that highly contrast with one another.

Though low chance of happening, but there are people who have more than 1 pair of unlikely-paired contrasting talent themes in CliftonStrengths. This article’s case study is on Adaptability, Context & Focus talent themes.

‘Adaptability & Focus’ and “Context & Focus’ both have less than 1% chance of appearing together in one’s Top 5.

Adaptability talent theme

The genius of your Adaptability talent begins with where you “live” in terms of your mind. You live in the present – – – even the present moment. Whereas others live their lives in their “rear-view mirror”, always looking to the past and being tied to the past, you are a right here – right now person. The genius of this perspective means that you can change and change quickly. Rather than being rigid, you are flexible; and rather than being tied to some pre-set plan, you can quickly change to meet immediate demands and circumstances that require attention. But the real genius of your adaptability is seen in circumstances that make others scramble and cower into some safety zone for security. Your genius talent of Adaptability comes to light in chaos. In fact, you not only deal with chaos, you get energized, come alive and get a thrill out of chaos as you “ride the wave” and quickly make the changes that chaos requires. This then points to another genius aspect of your Adaptability talent. You can learn and change so quickly.

Context talent theme

The genius of your Context talent is found in the way you think about the past and use that form of thinking to learn, plan and solve problems. The present is important to you, but in your mind, the present is best understood by seeking to understand what has led up to the present. Thus, your mind often goes backwards and looks for what has caused what we are experiencing today. This look to the past gives great wisdom for understanding the present and forms a basis for making informed decisions and plans in the present and for the future. The genius of your Context way of thinking provides you with a basis for making high quality decisions and plans and for problem-solving. In addition, as you apply the genius of your Context way of thinking when you learn, you will learn with great understanding which results in high achievement.

Focus talent theme

The genius of your Focus talent begins with what you can do with your mind. You can focus your attention to an unusual level of concentration. That concentration enables you to amass facts and information, read with clarity of understanding, and solve problems with great precision. You can concentrate to the extent that people may come into a room you are in, and you may not hear or see them. While others pride themselves with their ability to multi-task, you know that for you, you are most productive when you concentrate on one thing at a time. Your focusing talent results in prolonged concentration to address and solve complex problems and planning processes. You learn in great depth, and because of your focusing, when you learn, plan and solve problems, your recall is remarkable.

What if you have Adaptability, Context & Focus talent themes in your Top 5 themes?

“ADAPTABILITY + FOCUS”
You concentrate on the here and now. If there is a change in your environment, you can respond quickly and effectively.

The uniqueness of Adaptability theme is that rather than being rigid, you are flexible; and rather than being tied to some pre-set plan, you can quickly change to meet immediate demands and circumstances that require attention. This seems to be in direct contrast with Focus theme. You will experience internal conflict and confusion when you stereotype yourself to be either ‘rigid’ or ‘flexible’. Once you master your wide range between ‘fixed’ and ‘flexible’, you can then make intentional choice to get the right blend of Adaptability & Focus in a specific season for a specific task with a person(s).

“CONTEXT + FOCUS”
By taking time to consider prior events and experiences, you get better at prioritizing activities and concentrating on outcomes.

The uniqueness of Context theme is that you look into as many clues from the past to see the pattern on why things are happening presently in order to move to the future. Focus theme operates differently in that the main goal that needs to be achieved must not be ‘contaminated’ by other factors (eg. things that happened in the past) so that the prolong concentration to make things happen from now till the end is all that matter. Once you master your wide range between ‘multiple causes from the past’ and ‘singular concentration towards the future goal’, you can then make intentional choice to get the right blend of Context & Focus in a specific season for a specific task with a person(s).

The genius of your Ideation talent begins with your love of ideas and the way you so quickly learn new ideas, concepts and principles. But you are not passive. It is as if you take ideas and then begin spinning them around in your mind. With each new idea you learn, you tend to think about it over and over – – – spinning it around with the many other ideas you already have. The result of this thinking, turning, and spinning around of new ideas with what you already know does two things. First, you generate new connections and insights about ideas and their implications. Second, the spinning of your ideas often results in new ideas. Therefore, the genius of the Ideation talent is the creativity of generating new ideas and insights as a result of contemplating and reviewing the ideas you have learned.

Consistency talent theme

Your genius strength of Consistency involves both the way you think and process information and the way you see what is fair and equitable. Whereas others often take a long time to determine what is fair and equitable, to you it is obvious. You can quickly determine what should be done so that problems are solved in ways that treat everyone in a just and equal manner. This process of determining what is equitable often involves processing a great deal of information. But the genius of your Consistency talent sorts through information and comes to equitable decisions so quickly that you may not see anything special about what you do because you do it with such ease. In your relationships, you strive to treat everyone equally and consistently. This helps you win the confidence of others. You are a great, fair and just thinker because of your Consistency talent.

Common conflict points between 2 persons; one with Ideation & the other with Consistency

The way to minimise the conflict and to maximise the collaboration is to operate from the position of Confident Vulnerability; readiness to contribute with your greatest talent with healthy pride and receiving the contribution of others’ greatest talents with humble posture.

What if you have both Ideation & Consistency talent themes in your Top 5 themes?

“IDEATION + CONSISTENCY”
You are most likely to be successful when you give everyone equal chance to contribute to your creative process.

We change the ‘BUT‘ to ‘AND‘.

Your Ideation talent treats every idea unequally and creatively AND your Consistency talent treats every individual equally and consistently; you do not lose creativity as you pursue consistency.

Your Ideation talent dislikes boundary/procedure that constrains AND your Consistency talent likes boundary/procedure that conforms; you have the wisdom to appreciate the season to conform and the season to transform.

Your Ideation talent generates new connections/insights about ideas and their implications AND your Consistency talent generates available connections/insights about inequality and their implications; your connectivity can produce both cognitive ingenuity and community equality.

Your Ideation talent finds satisfaction by anyone’s most creative contribution AND your Consistency talent finds serenity by everyone’s fair chance to contribute; you get your sense of happiness with a wide range of “others’ contribution”.